


Balancing Act

by Strawberry_Watermelon



Series: Big Sis Dot/Age Swap AU [1]
Category: Animaniacs
Genre: Age Swap, Comedy, Family Feels, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Middle Yakko, Near Death Experiences, Oldest Dot, Protective Siblings, Youngest Wakko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28039191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strawberry_Watermelon/pseuds/Strawberry_Watermelon
Summary: As the oldest Warner sibling, Dot often struggles to keep her brothers and her own sanity under control.But there isn't anything she wouldn't do to keep them safe, even if that involves disrupting a much needed day off.
Relationships: Dot Warner & Wakko Warner & Yakko Warner
Series: Big Sis Dot/Age Swap AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2060487
Comments: 23
Kudos: 136





	Balancing Act

**Author's Note:**

> I saw some age swap AU Warner sibling art and just new I had to write my own take on it. It was fun to explore how much each sib would change but also stay the same if the age order was altered.
> 
> If you feel like it please review and let me know your thoughts! I might write more for this AU one day.
> 
> Oldest - Dot  
> Middle - Yakko  
> Youngest - Wakko

Keeping two kids constantly entertained was a pretty big challenge.

But keeping two _boys_ perpetually entertained? Practically impossible, even when you’re world’s best big sister, Dot Warner.

Today was certainly one of those days she was struggling the most. Filming on season 3 of their reboot had wrapped about a week ago and Dot was about at her wits end. Sure, at first she had joined her brothers in their antics; redecorating their CEO’s office, eating the chef-prepared lunches for the _Loony Toons_ cast, even making unwanted cameos in _Pinky and The Brain_ during their reshoots. All in good, zany, fun which Dot basically required to live.

But a teenage girl could only handle so much zaniness without a pamper day, and her brothers were simply not letting her have that. And Wakko running into her vanity, causing her limited-edition Trixie Mattel palette to shatter all over the floor, was simply the last straw.

Yakko and Wakko held onto each other tightly as their sister leered over them menacingly, fearing the absolute worst…

…The absolute worst ended up being a trip to the forest. Given it was a very nice forest, inside a state park with gorgeous trails and plenty of relaxation/rejuvenation areas. Dot seemed to waste no time in finding a spot to set up by a picturesque lake, removing a variety of items from a comically small bag. These commodities included: a towel, fully stocked magazine rack, a large umbrella, and of course, a stack of BTS albums along with her sticker covered CD player, a relic of the 90s.

Dot was finally settled on her towel when she realized she just couldn’t get comfortable with her brothers staring at her like she was a particularly fascinating circus monkey. She peered over to the two boys and lowered her sunglasses, staring at them questioningly.

“Can I help you two?”

Yakko rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Don’t take this the wrong way sis, we’re glad you didn’t ground us into next century but we’re just a little confused. One minute you’re standing over us like Godzilla about to wreck Tokyo then the scene changes we’re at a majestic forest?”

Dot sighed, sitting up to face her younger siblings. “Listen, we’re Warners, I get it. We all gotta let our freak flags fly and sometimes that leads to disaster. Limited-edition makeup destruction disaster…” Dot emphasized her point by dramatically stuffing her face into her hands. But after a moment she seemed to recover, coming back up with a comforting smile. “But I’m a 14-year-old girl; sometimes I need an escape from our usual antics. So, I figured why not let you two run around wild here while I sunbathe and enjoy Jimin’s sweet voice?”

Wakko seemed on board, nodding eagerly before enveloping his sister into a big hug. Dot giggled a bit, patting her youngest brother’s back a few times before he seemed to quickly pull away, eyeing her suspiciously.

“Wait…all this running around is going to make me hungry…” Wakko’s stomach growled right then and there, as if to emphasize his point. He looked back to his sister in panic. “I’m already hungry! How am I supposed to climb up the tallest hill and show off my yodeling skills on an empty stomach?”

Dot rolled her eyes, reaching back into her micro-purse to pull out a fully loaded sub which dwarfed her brother in size. Wakko’s eyes sparkled as he gazed upon the delicacy, reaching out with sweater-covered grabby hands. Dot was always weak to the youngest Warner’s cuteness, relinquishing the sandwich without a care. She watched with satisfaction as Wakko proceeded to shove it down his face hole and consume it as if he was a woodchipper. “How could you even doubt for one second I wouldn’t bring snacks?” Dot asked with a knowing smirk.

Yakko watched his siblings with amusement, arms crossed and a devious glint in his eye. “Yeah Wakko, how could you question our _mom_ for even a moment?”

The mood seemed to shift immediately after the middle Warner’s quip, clouds darkening as lightning struck behind the Warner sister. _‘Uh oh’_ Yakko thought as a flip flop suddenly went flying at record speed right beside his head.

“Do not…” Dot started, slowly standing up, expression dark and unreadable. “…call me mom!”

The reveal of his sister’s fiery, rage filled eyes was Yakko’s exit queue. Wakko seemed to have the same idea, quickly running toward his brother and following him as he headed as quick as can be towards a wooded path.

“Yeah you better run…and stay away from the lake you two! I’m in no mood to play lifeguard today!”

* * *

After about an hour or so of climbing trees, terrorizing tourists, and stealing picnic baskets, Yakko and Wakko were proper bored out of their minds. The two laid spread out in a clearing, Yakko a little dusty but relatively clean while Wakko was completely covered in dirt due to sticking his head into the ground to find literal insects to snack on (or as he liked to call them ‘nature’s gummy worms’). 

“So boooored!” Yakko complained, looking up at the annoyingly clear sky. There weren’t even clouds to gaze upon to make up long-winded stories with. Wakko sighed sleepily next to him, seemingly about ready to take a nap after a big meal of beetles and millipedes. “Oh come on sib, don’t fall asleep on me now!” Yakko begged, shaking his brother silly until his eyes began to swirl.

After disorienting his sibling, Yakko seemed to spot something of interest behind Wakko’s dazed head. Standing up and dusting off his overalls, Yakko began to walk towards a particularly tall tree which stood right next to the lake the two had started at earlier. Yakko gazed up to the top of the tree and spotted what caught his attention earlier; a wooden board attached to two deteriorating ropes. A makeshift swing.

Yakko looked around carefully, knowing his sister was somewhere around the lake he had been explicitly told to stay away from. He spotted her a ways away, lounging in the same spot they had left her while bopping her head as she listened to her ancient music player. Deciding it was safe with Dot far away and distracted, Yakko started making ascent up the tree, attention focused on his goal. 

“What are you doing?”

Wakko’s questioning voice caused Yakko to lose his footing, barely hanging onto the branch above him as he looked down at his curious brother below. “Look up, baby bro.” Yakko grunted, grimacing as he pulled himself back up to the safety of the branch he had just slipped off of.

Wakko’s eyes lit up when he noticed the swing at the top of the tree, mind racing with all the fun he could have. But those thoughts quickly ceased when he realized where the location of this tree was; near the lake. Wakko looked back up to his brother making great time in his climb, now over half-way up. “Uuuh Yakko? Didn’t Dot tell us to stay away from the lake?”

Yakko rolled his eyes, continuing his ascent. “Oh please, when have I ever listened to mother’s demands before?”

A look of fear crossed Wakko’s face at the mention of his brother’s nickname for their sister, remembering her reaction from earlier. “Shhhh!” Wakko shushed loudly, looking nervously towards the direction where Dot was setup.

“Don't worry, I’m sure she’s way too deep into _The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2_ to hear us, even with her seemingly supersonic hearing.” Yakko stated, finally arriving to the top branch of the tree where the swing was situated. Tugging on the rope a few times he seemed satisfied with its safety, despite the possible cracking noise it made. Having finally reached his goal, Yakko hopped onto the board, causing a few stray twigs to fall to the ground below.

Wakko watched as his brother began swinging back and forth, seemingly without a care in the world. He could hear Yakko laughing with glee as his legs spread out in the air over the water below.

Not even 2 minutes had passed before disaster struck.

Despite being on the ground, Wakko seemed to notice the signs first; the branch the ropes were attached to dipping dangerously with each passing swing. “Big brother be careful!” He warned when he could tell the swing’s support was beginning to fail. But it was too late; only seconds later Wakko heard a sickening crack as the branch detached itself from the tree, sending the swing and Yakko crashing down.

Yakko screamed as he realized he was falling, his left leg violently hitting a sturdy branch further down the tree before he fell into the waters below. Yakko knew how to swim, but he certainly didn’t know how to swim with a broken leg, struggling to keep his head above water with the searing pain. He spotted Wakko watching on the side horrified; the youngest Warner hadn’t ever learned how to tread water. “My leg!” Yakko managed to cry out, only thinking about the agony he was in and not how he was going to get out of this.

Wakko realized at his brother’s cry something was very wrong. He knew he couldn’t run in and rescue his sib, so he did what he and Yakko always did when they were in deep trouble; he went to get their sister. Running as quickly as he could, Wakko made it over to where his sister laid in record time, flailing his arms in front of her to get her attention.

At Wakko’s terrified expression, Dot immediately went into older sibling mode, tearing off her headphones and sunglasses. “Wakko what’s wrong?” She asked in concern, quickly noticing her other brother wasn’t with him. “Where’s Yakko?”

Wakko, struggling to catch his breath and panicking, could hardly get words out. “I…Yakko…he-”

But before Wakko could complete his thoughts a cry for help rang out, one which Dot instantly recognized as coming from her immediate younger brother. Dot shot up straight away, swerving around Wakko as she began to run towards the source of the noise. She soon spotted her missing sibling: flailing in a futile attempt to stay afloat towards the center of the lake. Just a few moments later Yakko seemed to have exhausted himself, his head starting to sink below.

“Yakko!” Dot called out in alarm before rushing into the water, quickly swimming towards where she saw her brother disappear. Once near the middle of the lake, Dot dove under, thanking her lucky stars this reservoir was known for its relatively clear waters. It wasn’t too long before she spotted Yakko, luckily still conscious but weakly struggling to swim back up to the surface. Dot grabbed her brother in record time, holding him close as she made her way back up to the top.

Once they had surfaced Dot took in a big gasp of air, Yakko coughing his lungs out in an attempt to get rid of all the lake water he had inhaled. The two stayed where they were for a while; Yakko shaking as he gripped his sister and continued to cough, Dot patting his back and making shushing sounds in comfort.

After the coughing had finally ceased and Yakko’s shaking had slightly lessened, Dot began to speak. “Yakko why were you drowning? I thought I had taught you how to swim last year?” She tried to keep her tone soft, not wanting to come off accusatory just genuinely wanting to know what happened.

Yakko buried his head deeper into his big sister’s shoulder in shame. When he started speaking, he spoke quietly, only causing Dot’s concern to grow. “I know you told us to stay away from the water…but Wakko and I were bored, and I spotted a swing at the top of a big tree by the lake. I didn’t realize it was so unstable…it broke off while I was swinging, and my leg hit something on the way down. I think it might be broken.”

Dot ran her fingers through her brother’s hair, shushing him once again in an attempt to convey it was okay and she wasn’t upset. She definitely might consider punishment later, but right now Yakko needed care and support. After a few more moments of contact, Dot realized they needed to get out of the water and back onto the safety of land. “Yakko? I know this might be hard, but do you think you can wrap your arms around my neck and your legs around my back? I need to get us out of here.”

Yakko nodded slowly as Dot helped him reposition himself. The younger winced when he attempted to wrap his legs around his sister, his injured one screaming out in pain. “It’s okay, I got you.” Dot reassured him, wanting nothing more than to end her little brother’s suffering. Once she was sure Yakko was secure, Dot began her journey to the shore.

Making her way out of the lake, Dot noticed her youngest brother was waiting for them by the edge of the water, watching with concern written all over his face. She smiled reassuringly at him which seemed to ease his nerves a bit. Once they started to tread out of the water and onto land, Dot hoisted Yakko up more securely, not even bothered by the added weight. All part of a day’s work of being an older sibling.

Wakko walked up to them slowly, observing Yakko’s obviously injured leg which jutted out at an awkward angle. He looked up to his sister in worry. “Is Yakko going to be okay?”

Both Dot and Yakko smiled at their younger brother, Yakko’s more of a half-smile as he seemed to be already partially off to dreamland, his exhausted body desperately in need of rest. Dot wanted nothing more than to ruffle her youngest brother’s cap but couldn’t let go of Yakko’s legs. She instead opted for a playful hip jut, smiling convincingly at Wakko. “You think a little water could take down our hard-headed brother? Please.”

This seemed to appease Wakko enough; he nodded quietly with a small smile as he usually does when he was in an uncomfortable situation.

Dot sighed inwardly; she should have expected a simple trip to the woods to end up like this when her brothers were involved. But as she started to walk towards the exit and felt Yakko’s gentle, sleepy breathing on her neck and a tug on her dress as Wakko gripped on tightly, she couldn’t help but smile in relief.

Her sibs might be absolute chaos magnets, but she wouldn’t have them any other way. Even if they did give her heart attacks on the daily.


End file.
